Clock switch



w. E. Dvls CLOCK ySWITCH Aug. 17 1926.

Filed ct PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. DAVIS, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CLOCK SWITCH.

Application led October 1, 1924. Serial' No. 740,923.

This invention relates to a time controlled motor vehicle lighting system, and my invention aims to furnish an automobile with a clock or timing mechanism which may be set to automatically release a normally open electric switch controlling one or more lights of an automobile lighting system, particularly danger lights used when parking an automobile. To this end, l. make certain additions to an ordinary clock whereby it may be used for my purpose.

First, I furnish a clock mechanism with an additional hand that may be set by the stem setting mechanism of the clock; second, an electric switch is embodied within the clock adapted to be manually set in an open position and automatically released to assume a closed position, and third, a train of gears within ythe clock has a shiftable `gear which may beset and held in a set position to be automatically released, said shiftable gear causing release of the switch.

These additions to a clock mechanism do not materially increase the size of an ordinary automobile clock and consequently my improved clock may be mounted in a dash or instrument board where it may be easily observed and readily set for completing an electric circuit at a predetermined time.

My invention will be hereinafter described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawings wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of my imroved clock, partly broken away and party in section, and showing diagrammatically the electrical wiring to lamps;

50 l side wall of the casing Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same taken on the line 2"--2 Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view ofthe clock showing the switch and the greater part of the mechanism, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view ofa detached switch with respectl to the hands of the clock.

Reference will first be had to Figs. 1 and 2 showing a stem wound clock and the reference numeral 1 denotes a casing having a detachable transparent face plate or crystal 2 and in proximity to the face plate is a conventional form of dial 3. Mounted in the 1 is a tubular stem 4 containing a sprin pressed winding shaft 5 having its outer en provided'with the usual winding and setting knob 6 and lts inner endprovided with a pin 7 normally meshlng with a clutch member 8 on the face of the' with a winding gear 10.A

gear 9 meshing The winding gear 10 is on a winding arbor 11 extending rearwardly into the casing 1 where there is a conventional form of clock mechanism including the usual main spring, escapement mechanism, etc., which I have deemed unnecessary to illustrate.

Pivotally mounted on a frame 12 in the casing 1 is an arm 13 supporting a rotatable gear 14 constantly meshing with another gear 15 which in turn meshes with a gear 16 adapted 4to be rotated by the shaft 5 when said shaft is pressed inwardly to disengage the pin 7 from the clutch member 8, thus releasing the shaft 5 from the winding mechanism of the clock and placing it in such condition as to be used for setting the hands of the clock.

The gear wheel 14 is adapted to mesh with a compound gear wheel 17 meshing with a large gear wheel 18 which has an elongated hub gear 19 rotatably supported from the frame l2. The large gear 18 meshes with a small gear 2() on a minute hand shaft 2l which extends rearwardly into the casing 1 and is driven by the clock mechanism therein. The outer end of the shaft 21 has a minute hand 22 and loose on the shaft 21 is a hub 23 having its forward end provided with an hour hand 24. On the rear end of the hub 23 is a large gear wheel 25 constantly meshing with the hub gear 19 so that the driven shaft 21 may transmit power to the hub 23 and cause the hour hand to move at a twelve to one reduction relative to the minute hand 22.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be noted that there is a space between the inner ends of the hands 22 and 24 and the hub 23 is slidable on the shaft 21 so that the gear 25 may be shifted forwardly by pressure of a resilient or spring like trip member 26 mounted on the rear face of the dial 3. Rotatably mounted in the dial 3 and loose about the hub 23 is the hub 27 of a cam member 28, said hub having a setting hand 29 in front of the dial 3. The cam member 28 is in the form of a sleeve having a cam notch 3() adapted to receive the beveled lug 3l lon the face of the shiftable gear wheel 25. This is best shown in Fig. 4 and with the lug 31 bearing against the end of the sleeve clutch member the shiftable gear is held in a retracted position with the resilient trip member Q6 stressed and in condition to shift the gear Q5 as soon as the lug 3l recedes into the cam notch 30.

The resilient trip member 26 is longitudinally slotted or biturcated to provide clearance tor the shat't 2l and to provide a pressure linger 32 and a trip linger 33, the pressure linger having a side extension 34 engaging the trip linger Between the dial 3 and the frame 12 is mounted a switch comprising an arm 35 made of insulation material and provided with three metallic littings. @ne is in the form et' a beveled extension 36 to be engaged and heid by the trip linger another in the torni ot a beveled contact member 3T, and the remaining litting is in the torni oit a yoke 33 pivotally mounted on a stud 39 supported by the dial rIhe stud 39 is encircled by a spring having one end 40 anchored on adial stud 4l and the opposite end 42 engaging the arm with the spring stressed and adapted to swing the switch arm to a closed position, When said arm is released by the trip linger Adjacent the yoke 38 is a cam 43 on a hub 44 rotatable on the stud 45, carried by the dial 3 and the trame l2. The hub 44 has a crank 46 and pivotally connected to said crank is a rod 47 Iextending through an opening 4S in the side Wall of the casing l. By pulling outwardly on the rod 47 the cam 43 engages the yoke 38 and resets the switch arm ter engagement for the trip tinger 33.

ln the path ot the beveled contact member 37 are blades 49 adapted to be electrically connected by the contact member 37 and said blades are secured to an insulator 50 mounted on the inner iace of the dial 3 and provided With binding posts 5l for leading out Wires rlhe Wires 52 are adapted to extend through suitable openings provided therefor in the casing l and said Wires may be in circuit with a suitable source of electrical energy, as batteries 53 and lighting lamps 54. These are shown diagrammatically in F ig. l and represent part of the lighting system of an automobile particularly danger or parking lamps adapted to burn during dark hours When the automobile is parked along a street or at other places adjacent traliic.

Considering the operation of the clock mechanism in connection With an automobile lighting system, it may be assumed that an automobile is parked during a day-light hour and the clock mechanism is to be set to automatically complete the electric circuit for the lamps 54 at a dark hour, tor instance eight oclock. It the automobile is parked at three oelock in the afternoon the setting stem 5 is pushed inwardly to disengage it from the gear S) and establish a driving relation between the setting gears 14 and 17. Then by turning the shaft 5 the hour hand is swung in a counterclockwise direction until it is over or in matched registration with the setting hand 29, wherever said hand may have been left. Both hands are moved to place the setting hand 29 at 8 on the dial. rl'his is accomplished by the lug 3l oit' the shit'table gear 25 entering the cam notch 30 and causing the cam hub 2T and its setting hand 29 to be carried around with the shittable gear until the setting hand 29 is placed at 8". Then the shaft 5 is rotated in an opposite direction to swing the hour hand 24 in a clockwise direction and reset the hour hand at three Oclock. Such clockwise. movement has caused the lug 3l to ride out ot the notch 30 on to the end of the sleeve cam, as shown in Fig. 2, thus again shitting the gear 25 and stressing the trip member 26,

Under usual operatin clock the hour hand Wil eight oclock and in doing -arried to the cam notch 30, recedes into said cam notch, causes the resilient trip member 26 to shift the gear 25 and by virtue ot' the trip member being released the trip linger 33 is moved out oi engagement with the switch arm which immediately closes and establishes an electric circuit for the lamps 54.

When the lamps are to be turned ofl' the rod 47 is manipulated, as previously described, and the switch arm 35 again placed in engagement with the resilient trip member, while the sleeve cam 28 will cause the shiftable gear Wheel 25 to assume a position holding the resilient trip member stressed.

During the setting of the clock mechanism the switch arm 35 may be released to complete the circuit for the lamp 54, but the burning ot' the lamps Will only be during the setting of the clock mechanism for the reason that the rod 47 can be pulled outwardly, after the clock mechanism is set to place the switch arm in engagement with the trip member, thus extinguishing the lamps until eight oclock when the normally open switch will be automatically released by the clock mechanism to close the lighting circuit.

It is thought that the operation and utility of my invention will be apparent Without Jfurther description, and while in the drawings there is illustrated a preferred form of clock setting and winding mechanism I desire it to be understood that my switch mechanism is applicable to various types of clock mechanisms Where one ot the transmission gears may be made shit'table and the switch mechanism readily installed, Without materially increasing the size of the clock. Suitable provision Will be made for supporting the clock relative to a dash or instrument board of an automobile so that easy access may be had to the setting and Winding stem, and in order that all of this may be accomconditions of the eventually reach so the lug 3l 1s plished I reserve the right to resort to such structural changes as are permissible by the ap ended claims.

hat I claim is 1. In a clock mechanism having a dial, time hands, a setting hand, said hands having concentric hubs with the'hub of the setting hand journaled in the dial of said clock mechanism, a driven train of gears, one of said gears being carried by the hub of the hour hand and shiftable axially of the hub of the setting hand, a pivoted switch member swingable in a plane parallel to the dial of said clock mechanism and adapted to be released by axial shifting of the shiftable gear, and cam means engageable with the pivoted end of said switch member adapted to be set to hold said switch member in a closed position.

2. In an automobile lighting system, a clock mechanism including a dial, a driven minute hand, an hour hand having a hub portion, a train of gears between said hands by which the minute hand is moved faster than the hour hand, one of' the gears of said train of gears being mounted on the hub portion of said hour hand and shiftable and spring pressed, a setting hand having a hub portion journaled in said dial and supporting the hub portion of said hour hand and adaptable to hold the shiftable gear against spring pressure and release said gear at predetermined times, a normally open switch adapted to be closed by spring pressure, and a trip member having a pressure finger and a trip finger, the pressure finger engaging under the trip finger and the trip finger under pressure by said shif'table gear, said member holding said switch open and adapted to be released by said shiftable gear to effect closing of' said switch.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM E. DAVIS. 

